It is a tragedy, but this problem as been growing for years. Banning guns IMO is a knee jerk reaction, though I admit I would not have an issue with bump stocks, high capacity magazines (excess of 24), buying of certain category of weapons before 21 ( any long gun with a capacity over 7). But the problem is really back to video gaming, social media, auto pilot parenting and everyone is a winner, get an award, there no losers growing up. That is part if not a significant part of the problem. JMO
I am torn regarding the deputy, should he run in, basically a suicide mission with little chance of changing the outcome other than raising the body count, or should he take a position to wait for backup and have the possibility of having the gunman come to him. Hand gun vs AR15 is sort of like bringing a knife to a gun fight. Also we need to consider that the deputy didn't know how well armed and protected the gunman was, other than hearing an AR15 shooting. There have been recent shoot outs with law enforcement where the gunman with a rifle manage to injure and in some cases killing the officers. These officers knew what they were up against and in most cases there were multiple officers involved and they weren't using their hand guns.
Comparing to the teachers and coaches who gave there life is not the a valid comparison to the deputy. They were caught up in the kill zone, the deputy was on the out side of the kill zone.
I imagine the deputy who retired is not having a wonderful time but calling him a coward, calling him out is wrong IMO, if you haven't been under fire, you have no idea how you will really act. Being in the military as noted earlier you are trained to react, to do you your job, to know you have been trained to do your job.
Guess in time we will see how it falls out, but my thoughts and prayers with the families and kids.